Railway hopper car



Sept. 5, 1967 A. F. CHARLES ETAL 3,339,499

' RAILWAY HOPPER CAR Filed Sept. 28, 1964 f 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ASAFRANKLIN CHARLES RICHARD A. LEE

ATTORNEY P 1967 A. F. CHARLES ETAL 3,339,499

RAILWAY HOPPER CAR Filed Sept; 28, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. ASAFRANKLIN CHARLES RICHARD A. LEE

BYgavV ATTORNEY Sept- 19 67 A. F. CHARLES ETAL 3,339,499

I RAILWAY HOPPER CAR Filed Sept. 28, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII INVENTORS.

ASA FRANKLIN CHARLES RICHARD A. LEE

ATTORNEY p 1967 A. F. CHARLES ETAL 3,339,499

' I RAILWAY HOPPER CAR Filed Sept. 28, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 8

ASA FRANKLIN CHARLES RICHARD A. LEE

ATTORNEY N INVENTORS.

United States Patent M I 3,339,499 RAILWAY HOPPER CAR Asa FranklinCharles, Bridgeton, and Richard A. Lee,

Florissant, M0., assignors to ACF Industries, Incorporated, New York,N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Sept. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 399,4988 Claims. (Cl. 105-248) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A covered hopperrailway car having a smooth arcuate side sheet on each side of the carstruck from a constant radius having its center at a substantialdistance outside the confines of the car, a shear plate at each end ofthe car which forms the upper cover plate of the bolster structure andextends to the end sill, and an end hopper portion overhanging the shearplate. The overhanging end hopper portion includes an end hopper slopesheet having an inclined sheet portion extending over the shear plateand an upper vertical sheet portion at the end of the car, and a pair ofload carrying members have upper ends secured to the end slope sheetgenerally at the corner junctures of the inclined sheet portion and thevertical sheet portion and extend to the shear plate.

Covered hopper cars are generally of two types; those having straightvertical sides and those having arcuate or curved sides. Hopper carswith straight vertical sides normally have vertical extending postsspaced along the side to provide strength and stiffness. Such postsrequire several steps in assembly to the sides of the railway car. Inaddition, since the posts project outwardly a few inches from the sidesof the railway car, the inside width of the car is decreased acorresponding amount which results in a less than full utilization ofthe available space within specific clearance requirements.

In covered hopper cars having arcuate or curved sides the side posts arenormally omitted, but curved sides of a substantial degree of curvaturehave the disadvantage of a decrease in the capacity of a hopper car atthe upper and lower portions of the inwardly curved sides thereby notutilizing a maximum amount of space. Thus, a small degree of curvaturein arcuate sides is highly desirable to provide a relatively lightweight railway car having a relatively high volumetric capacity.

Bottom hopper outlets are arranged beneath the car for the discharge ofmaterial from the car. Such outlets are formed of a plurality ofconnected side slope sheets which funnel to a discharge opening. Thedischarge openingmay be of different sizes dependent on factors such asthe type of material being unloaded, the type of closure across thedischarge opening, and the clearance requirements. Thus, it is evidentthat the slope or inclination of the hopper side slope sheets varieswith different sizes of bottom outlet structures. The present inventionpermits the hopper side slope sheets to be positioned at a selectedangle of inclination without any modification of the side sill structurebeing required.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a lightweightcovered hopper car having arcuate sides in which a maximum utilizationof space is obtained within specific clearance requirements.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a light weightcovered hopper car having curved sides in which side reinforcing membersare not required, the space normally filled by the side posts beingutilized by the sides comprising the hopper car of this invention.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a covered hopperrailway car having a bottom outlet struc- Patented Sept. 5, 1967 ture inwhich the hopper side slope sheets may be positioned selectively at apredetermined slope or angle of inclination.

The present invention comprises a covered hopper railway car having anarcuate side sheet on each side of the car struck from a constant radiushaving its center substantially outside the confines of the car toprovide a relatively small degree of curvature in the side sheets, andan arcuate roof over the car being struck from a constant radius havinga length substantially less than the radii of the side sheets to providea substantially greater degree of curvature in the roof than in the sidesheets. The bottom hopper structure is positioned between the sidesheets and includes a hopper side slope sheet secured to each side sill,and separate bracing means secures each hopper side sheet to theadjacent side sill and extends inwardly a predetermined distance forpositioning the hopper sheet at a predetermined slope.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafterdescribed, the scope of the invention being indicated in the followingclaims.

In the accompanying drawings in which one of various possibleembodiments of the invention is illustrated,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a covered hopper railway carillustrating the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of a portion of the railway carshown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view of the covered hopper railway carshown in FIGURES l and 2 with certain portions broken away and shown insection;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the connection ofthe roof to the side sheets;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragment of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the side sill adjacent abottom hopper outlet illustrating the connection-of the adjacent hopperside slope sheet to the side sill, the broken lines indicating hopperside slope sheets at different angular relations;

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view of the side sill adjacent the shearplate at each end of the car; and

FIGURE 8 is a diagrammatic illustration of the contour of the coveredhopper railway body illustrating the relatively high volumetric capacityWithin specified clearance requirements.

Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe drawings.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIG- URES 1-3, acovered hopper railway car is indicated generally at 10. Car 10comprises a wheel assembly 12 at each end. An end stub center sill 14receives a draft gear and coupler structure 16. A bolster assemblygenerally designated 18 includes vertical webs 20 and a lower coverplate 22 secured beneath webs 20. A center plate 24 is secured to lowerbolster plate 22. Forming the upper cover plate of the bolster assemblyand extending over the end center sill is a shear plate 26 at each endof car 10.

Vertical posts 30 are secured to end sill 28 and upper cross member 32.Side sills generally designated 34 extend the length of car 10 and endsills 28 are secured across the ends of side sills 34 over shear plates26. At each end of the car, an end slope sheet generally designated 41includes an inclined sheet portion 42 and an integral upper generallyvertical sheet portion 40. A stiffener plate 44 is secured to slopesheet portion 42 and shear plate 26. Intermediate hopper slope sheets 46are secured between arcuate side sheets generally designated 48 and formhoppers 50 with partitions 52. A roof sheet 54 is secured over sidesheets 48 and has hatch openings 56 therein. Hatch covers 58 are placedover openings 56 to permit car 10 to be loaded. Stifi'eners 57comprising Z-bars are secured to slope sheets 41 and 46. As slope sheet41 extends to the 3 end of car 10, a maximum utilization of space isprovided. To reinforce slope sheet 41, a pair of gussets 59 extend fromeach end of car adjacent shear plate 26 along stiffener plate 44 to theadjacent end slope sheet 41.

In the assembly of car 10, each side sheet 48 is first in a straight orflat relation with a side sill 34 welded thereto. To keep the uppermarginal portion of sheet 48 from wrinkling when side sheet 48 is foldedabout partitions 52 and end sheets 40, a top chord member generallydesignated 60 is secured to each sheet 48 for the length of the sheet.As shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, each top chord member 60 is generallyangle-shaped and has an upper leg 62 welded along seam 66 to arcuateside 48. Leg 62 extends over the upper edge of arcuate side sheet 48.Lower leg 68 has an outwardly bent marginal portion 70 extendingparallel to the outer surface of sheet 48 and welded thereto along seam72. After top chord member 60 is welded to its associated side sheet 48,the subassembly comprising top chord member 60, side sill 34 and flatside sheet 48, is folded about partitions 52 and end sheets 40. Thenroof 54 is positioned over top chord member 60 and welded thereto alongseams 73 and 74.

Referring to FIGURE 6, side sill 34 comprises an upper flange 76extending parallel to the outer surface of side sheet 48 and weldedalong seam 78 to the adjacent side sheet 48. An outwardly bent portion80 is integrally connected to flange 76 and extends to a vertical webportion 82 which projects downwardly to a position below the lower edgeof side sheet 48. An integral horizontal web portion 84 has an upwardlyextending flange 86 integrally connected thereto and extending in agenerally parallel relation to the outer surface of side sheet 48. Sidesheet 48 is welded along seam 88 to flange 86. A hopper side slope sheet90 on opposite sides of each bottom outlet structure 92, such as agravity gate outlet structure, for example (see FIGURE 1), is weldedalong seam 94 to the adjacent side sheet 48. Weld seams 88 and 94 mergeto fill the space between the lower edge of side sheet 48 and theadjacent upper edge of slope sheet 90.

To brace side slope sheet 90 at a predetermined inclination or slope, abrace generally designated 96 has a fiat horizontal web portion 98secured to the lower surface of horizontal web portion 84 and extendingto the outer surface of hopper side slope sheet 90. An integrallyconnected downwardly bent flange 100 extends parallel to the outersurface of side slope sheet 90 and is welded along seam 102 to sheet 90.Sheet 90 slopes at an angle A of 45 to the horizontal. Hopper slope sidesheet 90 may be fixed at any desired slope by projecting web portion 98inwardly a greater or lesser distance. As shown in broken lines inFIGURE 6, slope sheet 90A is positioned at an angle B of 30 with respectto the horizontal by projecting web portion 98 inwardly an increaseddistance. Slope sheet 90B is positioned at an angle C of 60 with respectto the horizontal by projecting web portion 98 inwardly a lesserdistance. Side slope sheets 90A and 90B may be welded to flange 86 in amanner similarly to slope sheet 90.

Referring to FIGURE 7, a section of side sill 34 adja cent shear plate26 at each end of car 10 is illustrated. Shear plate 26 extends acrossthe upper edge of flange 86A to the inner surface of vertical webportion 82 and is welded along respective seams 104 and 106 to flange84A and web portion 82. Flange 86A is cut down from flange 86 so thatthe upper surface of shear plate 26 is flush with the upper edge offlange 86. A cover plate 108 is secured to shear plate 26 and flange 76at each end of car 10 outwardly of stiffener plate 44 as shown in FIGURE7.

Curved side sheets 48 and curved roof 54 result in a simplicity indesign and manufacture as well as a lighter weight car. Side slopesheets 48 are of a small degree of curvature which curvature has beenfound to provide adequate structure stability without the use of sideposts. Referring to FIGURE 8, the limits of the area in which the outercontour of the car must fit according to existing standards defined byA.A.R. (Association of American Railroads) clearance diagrams isindicated by outer broken line F. An inner broken line G indicates thecontour of a covered hopper car employing flat sides and outer sideposts to reinforce the flat sides. The outer contour of the presentcovered hopper railway car 10 is indicated in solid lines at H. With awidth W of car 10 around ten and one half (10 /2) feet an optimum radiusR of one hundred seventy (170) inches was found to be optimum forarcuate sides 48. The letter P indicates the point from which radius Ris struck. While a greater radius would result in a greater volume forthe car, it would probably be necessary to provide vertical reinforcingfor the sides in order to have sufficient structural stability. Asmaller radius would decrease the volume of car 10 undesirably. Roof 54is arcuate and is struck from a radius R1 having a length of aroundninety inches. While some volumetric capacity is lost in the uppercorners of the car from the curved roof and curved sides, this volume isnot utilized to any degree for most pulverulent or granular ladings. Asshown in FIGURE 8, for example, if the lading has an angle of repose Xof thirty (30) degrees, the volume above line L extending from the edgeof a center hatch opening would not be utilized by the lading. However,the increased volume obtained from utilizing the space occupied by sideposts is fully utilized. As an example, a covered hopper car having alength over the strikers of 54 feet and 7 inches, a width of 10 feet 4inches, and a height measured from the rails of 14 feet 8 inches has acapacity of 4500 cubic feet. This volume is slightly larger than thatobtained with a car of similar dimensions employing flat sides with sideposts.

A covered hopper railway car having curved sides and a curved roof iseasily fabricated. The fabrication is first commenced by forming aplurality of subassemblies. Each side sheet 48 is formed into asubassembly by the welding of a top chord member 60 and a side sill 34thereto with the side sheet remaining in a flat and smooth relation.Next, an end stub sill assembly for each end of the car is formedincluding shear plate 26, bolster structure 18, and a wheel assembly 12.The partitions and end slope sheets are also subassemblies and areplaced in position. The two side sheet subassemblies are positioned onthe end sill assemblies and the side sheets are folded by suitable jigs(not shown) about the partitions and end slope sheets for securing bywelding. The roof is then placed over the top chord members and weldedin position. Thus, a simplified fabrication of car 10 is effected byemploying arcuate side sheets and an arcuate roof.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results obtained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

What is claimed is:

1. A covered hopper railway car having a crosssectional area with AARclearance limits comprising, a separate stub center sill structureadjacent each end of the car, an arcuate side sheet on each side of thecar struck from a constant radius having its center at a substantialdistance outside the confines of the car and being without any separateexternal vertical reinforcing members, the outer surface of each sheetat its maximum lateral extent being substantially at the AAR clearancelimit with the sheets being spaced from each other a distance at saidlateral maximum extent of around ten and one-half feet, a side sillsecured along the outer surface of the lower marginal portion of eachside sheet, a top chord member secured along the upper marginal portionof each side sheet and extending in a direction longitudinally of thecar, each top chord member having a generally laterally extending upperportion, a roof secured between the upper portions of the top chordmembers, an end sill at each end of the car extending transversely ofthe car between the side sills and over the adjacent stub center sillstructure, a plurality of hoppers spaced at intervals along the lengthof the car, a bottom hopper outlet structure for each hopper positionedcentrally of the width of the car between the stub center sillstructures, a bolster assembly at each end of the car secured to theadjacent stub center sill structure and including a generallyhorizontally extending shear plate over the subjacent center sillstructure extending between and secured to the side sills, an end hopperslope sheet for each end hopper including an inclined sheet portion andan upper vertical sheet portion, said inclined sheet portion extendingfrom its associated bottom outlet structure upwardly adjacent andinwardly of the inner end of the adjacent stub center sill structure toa position over the subject shear plate to provide each end hopper witha hopper portion overhanging the shear plate, said upper vertical sheetportion being at the end of the car generally in vertical alignment withthe associated end sill and extending upwardly to the roof, and externalload carrying means at each end of the car extending from the associatedend slope sheet in the area of the corner junctures of the inclinedsheet portion with the vertical sheet portion and secured between theassociated end slope sheet and shear plate for transmitting loadstherebetween.

2. A covered hopper railway car as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidshear plate forms the upper cover plate of the bolster assembly andextends to the adjacent end sill.

3. A covered hopper railway car having a crosssectional area within AA-Rclearance limits comprising, a stub center sill structure adjacent eachend of the car, a smooth arcuate side sheet on each side of the carstruck from a constant radius of generally around one hundred seventyinches and being without any separate external vertical reinforcingmembers, the outer surface of each sheet at its maximum lateral extentbeing substantially at the AAR clearance limit with the sheets beingspaced from each other a distance at said lateral maximum extent ofaround ten and one-half feet, a separate side sill secured along thelower exterior marginal portion of each side sheet, a top chord membersecured along the upper exterior marginal portion of each side sheet andextending in a direction longitudinally of the car, each top chordmember having an upper outwardly extending portion secured adjacent theupper edge of the adjacent side sheet and a lower portion secured to theouter surface of the associated side sheet, said side sills and said topchord members projecting outwardly from the adjacent contiguous surfacesof the associated side sheets with the outer surfaces of the side silland top chord member on each side of the car being in a generallyvertical alignment and positioned slightly inwardly of the maximumlateral extent of the adjacent side sheet, a roof secured to the upperportions of the top chord members, an end sill at each end of the carextending between the side sills transversely of the car over theadjacent stub center sill structure, a plurality of hoppers spaced atintervals along the length of the car, a bottom hopper outlet structurefor each hopper positioned centrally of the width of the car between thestub center sill structures, a bolster assembly at each end of the carsecured to the adjacent stub center sill structure and including agenerally horizontal shear plate over the subjacent center sillstructure extending between and secured to the side sills, an end hopperslope sheet for each end hopper including an inclined sheet portion andan upper vertical sheet portion at the end of the car, said inclinedsheet portion extending upwardly from its associated bottom outletstructure closely adjacent and inwardly of the inner end of the adjacentstub center sill structure to a position over the subjacent shear plateto provide each end hopper with a hopper portion overhanging the shearplate, said vertically extending sheet portion being at the end of theear generally in vertical alignment with the associated end sill andextending upwardly to the roof, and a pair of load carrying members ateach end of the car having upper ends secured to the adjacent end slopesheet in the area of the corner junctures of the inclined sheet portionwith the vertical sheet portion and extending in converging relationfrom said upper ends to the associated shear plate for transmittingloads therebetween.

4. A covered hopper railway car having a cross-sec tional area withinAAR clearance limits comprising, an end stub center sill structureadjacent each end of the car, an arcuate side sheet on each side of thecar struck from a constant radius of generally around one hundredseventy inches and being Without any separate external verticalreinforcing members, the outer surface of each sheet at its maximumlateral extent extending substantially to the AAR clearance limit, aseparate side sill secured along the lower marginal portion of each sidesheet, a roof secured between the side sheets, an end sill at each endof the car extending transversely of the carv between the side sills, aplurality of hoppers spaced at intervals along the length of the car, abolster assembly at each end of the car secured to the adjacent stubcenter sill structure and including a generally horizontal shear plateover the subjacent center sill structure extending between and securedto the side sills, an end hopper slope sheet for each end hopperincluding an inclined sheet portion and an upper vertical sheet portion,said inclined sheet portion extending upwardly from a position adjacentthe inner end of the adjacent stub center sill structure to a positionover the subjacent shear plate to provide each end hopper with a hopperportion overhanging the shear plate, said vertically extending sheetportion being generally at the end of the car and extending upwardly tothe roof, and external load carrying members at each end of the carhaving ends secured to the adjacent end slope sheet generally in thearea of the corner junctures of the inclined sheet portion with thevertical sheet portion and extending to the shear plate for transmittingloads therebetween.

5. A covered hopper railway car having a cross-sectional area within AARclearance limits comprising, an end stub center sill structure adjacenteach end of the car, a smooth arcuate side sheet on each side of the carstruck from a constant radius having its center at a substantialdistance outside the confines of the car and being without any separateexternal vertical reinforcing members, the outer surface of each sheetat its maximum lateral extent being substantially at the AAR clearancelimit, a separate side sill secured along the lower marginal portion ofeach side sheet, a roof secured between the side sheets, an end sill ateach end of the car extending transversely of the car over the adjacentstub center sill structure, a plurality of hoppers spaced at intervalsalong the length of the car, a bolster assembly at each end of the carsecured to the adjacent stub center sill structure and including agenerally horizontal shear plate over the subjacent end center sillstructure extending between and secured to the side sills, an end hopperslope sheet for each end hopper including an inclined sheet portion andan upper vertical sheet portion, said inclined sheet portion extendingupwardly to a position over the subjacent shear plate to provide eachend hopper with a hopper portion overhanging the shear plate, saidvertically extending sheet portion being generally at the end of the carand extending upwardly to the roof, and a pair of external load carryingmembers at each end of the car having upper ends secured to the adjacentend slope sheet generally in the area of the corner junctures of theinclined sheet portion with the vertical sheet portion and extending inconverging relation from said upper ends to the associated shear platefor transmitting loads between the shear plate and end slope sheet.

6. A covered hopper railway car comprising, a separate stub center sillstructure adjacent each end of the car, an arcuate side sheet on eachside of the car struck from a constant radius having its center at asubstantial distance outside the confines of the car and being withoutany separate external vertical reinforcing members, a side sill securedalong the outer surface of the lower marginal portion of each sidesheet, a top chord member secured along the upper marginal portion ofeach side sheet and extending in a direction longitudinally of the car,each top chord member having a generally laterally extending upperportion, a roof secured between the upper portions of the top chordmembers, an end sill at each end of the car extending between the sidesills transversely of the car over the adjacent stub center sillstructure, a plurality of hoppers spaced at intervals along the lengthof the car, a bottom hopper outlet structure for each hopper positionedcentrally of the width of the car between the stub center sillstructures, a bolster assembly at each end of the car secured to theadjacent stub center sill structure and including a generallyhorizontally extending shear plate over the adjacent center sillstructure extending between and secured to the side sills, an end hopperslope sheet for each end hopper including an inclined sheet portion andan upper vertical sheet portion, said inclined sheet portion extendingupwardly from its associated bottom outlet structure to a position overthe subjacent shear plate to provide each end hopper with a hopperportion overhanging the shear plate, said upper vertical sheet portionbeing at the end of the car generally in vertical alignment with theassociated end sill and extending upwardly to the roof, and externalload carrying means at each end of the car secured between theassociated end slope sheet in the area of the corner junctures of theinclined sheet portion with the vertical sheet portion and the shearplate for transmitting loads therebetween.

7. In a covered hopper railway car having a separate stub center sillstructure adjacent each end of the car, a smooth arcuate side sheet oneach side of the car struck from a constant radius of generally aroundone hundred seventy inches and being without any separate externalvertical reinforcing members, the outer surface of each sheet at itsmaximum lateral extent being substantially at the AAR clearance limitwith the sheets being spaced from each other a distance at said lateralmaximum extent of around ten and one-half feet, a side sill securedalong the outer surface of the lower marginal portion of each sidesheet, a top chord member secured along the upper marginal portion ofeach side sheet and extending in a direction longitudinally of the car,each top chord member having a generally laterally extending upperportion, a roof secured between the upper portions of the top chordmembers, an end sill at each end of the car extending transversely ofthe car between the side sills and over the adjacent stub center sillstructure, a plurality of hoppers spaced at intervals along the lengthof the car, and a bottom hopper outlet structure for each hopperpositioned centrally of the Width of the car between the stub centersill structures; the improvement comprising a bolster assembly at eachend of the car secured to the adjacent stubcenter sill structure andineluding a generally horizontally extending shear plate over thesubjacent center sill structure extending between and secured to theside sills, an end hopper slope sheet for each end hopper including aninclined sheet portion and an upper vertical sheet portion, saidinclined sheet portion extending from its associated bottom outletstructure upwardly adjacent and inwardly of the inner end of theadjacent stub center sill structure to a position over the subjacentshear plate to provide each end hopper with a hopper portion overhangingthe shear plate, said upper vertical sheet portion being at the end ofthe car generally in vertical alignment with the associated end sill andextending upwardly to the roof, and external load carrying means at eachend of the car extending from the associated end slope sheet in the areaof the corner junctures of the inclined sheet portion with the verticalsheet portion and secured between the associated end slope sheet andshear plate for transmitting loads therebetween.

8. In a covered hopper railway car having a crosssectional area withinAAR clearance limits comprising, a separate stub center sill structureadjacent each end of the car, an arcuate side sheet on each side of thecar struck from a constant radius having its center at a substantialdistance outside the confines of the car and being without any separateexternal vertical reinforcing members, the outer surface of each sheetat its maximum lateral extent being substantially at the AAR clearancelimit with the sheets being spaced from each other a distance at saidlateral maximum extent of around ten and one-half feet, a side sillsecured along the outer surface of the lower marginal portion of eachside sheet, a top chord member secured along the upper marginal portionof each side sheet and extending in a direction longitudinally of thecar, each top chord member having a generally laterally extending upperportion, a roof secured between the upper portions of the top chordmembers, an end sill at each end of the car extending transversely ofthe car between the side sills and over the adjacent stub center sillstructure, a plurality of hoppers spaced at intervals along the lengthof the car, and a bottom hopper outlet structure for each hopperpositioned centrally of the width of the car between the stub centersill structures; the improvement comprising a bolster assembly at eachend of the car secured to the adjacent stub center sill structure andincluding a generally horizontally extending shear plate over thesubjacent center sill structure extending between and secured to theside sills, said shear plate forming the top cover plate of the bolsterassembly and extending to the adjacent end sill, an end hopper slopesheet for each end hopper including an inclined sheet portion and anupper vertical sheet portion, said inclined sheet portion extending fromits associated bottom outlet structure upwardly adjacent and inwardly ofthe inner end of the adjacent stub center sill structure to a positionover the subjacent shear plate to provide each end hopper with a hopperportion overhanging the shear plate, said upper vertical sheet portionbeing at the end of the car generally in vertical alignment with theassociated end sill and extending upwardly to the roof, and a pair ofexternal load carrying members at each end of the car having upper endssecured to the adjacent end slope sheet generally in the area of thecorner junctures of the inclined sheet portion with the vertical sheetportion and extending in converging relation from said upper ends to theassociated shear plate for transmitting loads between the shear plateand end slope sheet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 201,477 6/ 1965 Mowatt-Larssenet al. D661 D. 201,478 6/1965 Mowatt-Larssen et al. D661 135,717 2/1873Lamason -360 799,905 9/1905 Holbrook 105-360 1,139,457 5/1915 Ledwinka29630 2,011,076 8/1935 Prescott 105-360 X 2,037,024 4/1936 Holby 28052,095,624 10/1937 Young 105247 X 2,105,302 1/1938 Thwaits 2805 X2,108,416 2/ 1938 Smith et al. 105-247 2,169,500 8/1939 Reid 28052,804,025 8/1957 Delo 105-409 2,953,996 9/1960 Allen 105404 3,139,2866/1964 Johnson 105-248 X ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

H. BELTRAN, Assistant Examiner.

1. A COVERED HOPPER RAILWAY CAR HAVING A CROSSSECTIONAL AREA WITH AAR CLEARANCE LIMITS COMPRISING, A SEPARATE STUB CENTER SILL STRUCTURE ADJACENT EACH END OF THE CAR, AN ARCUATE SIDE SHEET ON EACH SIDE OF THE CAR STRUCK FROM A CONSTANT RADIUS HAVING ITS CENTER AT A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE OUTSIDE THE CONFINES OF THE CAR AND BEING WITHOUT ANY SEPARATE EXTERNAL VERTICAL REINFORCING MEMBERS, THE OUTER SURFACE OF EACH SHEET AT ITS MAXIMUM LATERAL EXTENT BEING SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE AAR CLEARANCE LIMIT WITH THE SHEETS BEING SPACED FROM EACH OTHER A DISTANCE AT SAID LATERAL MAXIMUM EXTENT OF AROUND TEN AND ONE-HALF FEET, A SIDE SILL SECURED ALONG THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE LOWER MARGINAL PORTION OF EACH SIDE SHEET, A TOP CHORD MEMBER SECURED ALONG THE UPPER MARGINAL PORTION OF EACH SIDE SHEET AND EXTENDING IN A DIRECTION LONGITUDINALLY OF THE CAR, EACH TOP CHORD MEMBER HAVING A GENERALLY LATERALLY EXTENDING UPPER PORTION, A ROOF SECURED BETWEEN THE UPPER PORTIONS OF THE TOP CHORD MEMBERS, AN END SILL AT EACH END OF THE CAR EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE CAR BETWEEN THE SIDE SILLS AND OVER THE ADJACENT STUB CENTER SILL STRUCTURE, A PLURALITY OF HOPPERS SPACED AT INTERVALS ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE CAR, A BOTTOM HOPPER OUTLET STRUCTURE FOR EACH HOPPER POSITIONED CENTRALLY OF THE WIDTH OF THE CAR BETWEEN THE STUB CENTER SILL STRUCTURES, A BOLSTER ASSEMBLY AT EACH END OF THE CAR SECURED TO THE ADJACENT STUB CENTER SILL STRUCTURE AND INCLUDING A GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING SHEAR PLATE OVER THE ADJACENT CENTER SILL STRUCTURE EXTENDING BETWEEN AND SECURED TO THE SIDE SILLS, AN END HOPPER SLOPE SHEET FOR EACH END HOPPER INCLUDING AN INCLINED SHEET PORTION AND AN UPPER VERTICAL SHEET PORTION, SAID INCLINED SHEET PORTION EXTENDING FROM ITS ASSOCIATED BOTTOM OUTLET STRUCTURE UPWARDLY ADJACENT AND INWARDLY OF THE INNER END OF THE ADJACENT STUB CENTER SILL STRUCTURE TO A POSITION OVER THE SUBJECT SHEAR PLATE TO PROVIDE EACH END HOPPER WITH A HOPPER PORTION OVERHANGING THE SHEAR PLATE, SAID UPPER VERTICAL SHEET PORTION BEING AT THE END OF THE CAR GENERALLY IN VERTICAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE ASSOCIATED END SILL AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY TO THE ROOF, AND EXTERNAL LOAD CARRYING MEANS AT EACH END OF THE CAR EXTENDING FROM THE ASSOCIATED END SLOPE SHEET IN THE AREA OF CORNER JUNCTURES OF THE INCLINED SHEET PORTION WITH THE VERTICAL SHEET PORTION AND SECURED BETWEEN THE ASSOCIATED END SLOPE SHEET AND SHEAR PLATE FOR TRANSMITTING LOADS THEREBETWEEN. 